


wanted and on the run.

by actualraptcr



Series: ColdFlash Week Fall 2019 [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, ColdFlash Week 2019, M/M, barry is not, len is smooth, v minor characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 14:24:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20743673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actualraptcr/pseuds/actualraptcr
Summary: It wasn’t just teenage Barry who ‘lived for danger’, and he got the distinct impression Joe would rather he picked up smoking for real than accept a drink from the tall dark stranger across the bar.





	wanted and on the run.

**Author's Note:**

> so this is my first time writing coldflash despite being absolute trash for it since the show started, it's also the first time i've tried writing for a fic event lmao. this is essentially just an excuse to write smut, with a bit of barry being a useless bisexual and len a ridiculous meme. this is written for the 2019 fall coldflash week day 1 prompt: different first meeting

The other guys from the course were a bit livelier than Barry had expected a bunch of nerds to be, but then half of them were there to get credits for other law orientated degrees. None of them appreciated the intricacies of chemical analysis, not as much as him, but they really liked the biochemical reactions alcohol generated.

John, one of Barry’s flatmates and fellow forensics prospect, slung an arm over his shoulder dragging Barry down to shout in his ear, “That guy’s staring at you Barr!”

It was hard to hear over Felix and Orla clinking their glasses down on the bar top in time with their chants as Joyce tried to down the last of her beer. Barry shot them a bemused smile when they cheered, unruly but somehow not the loudest pack in the bar - thankfully.

He’d been nervous when the group had ambled from the college bar, arms linked and high on the relief of passing their latest set of exams (Barry was top of the class, a surprise to no one), because someone had suggested hitting the dive bar downtown. The one with bikes outside, neon lights and an atmosphere that spelt trouble if you looked at someone wrong. The exact kind of place drunk college kids would dare each other to go in. Barry expected them to get spooked pretty quick, but two hours later they were still sprawled along the bar, empty shot glasses and beers everywhere.

“What?” He called back to his friend, realizing he’d ignored John entirely during the drinking match. The blond rolled his eyes and bodily shifted in front of Barry to point across the room without an ounce of subtly, “That guy right there! He’s been staring at you _all night_ dude.”

Barry’s sure his neck clicked with how fast he snapped around to follow his friend’s line of sight, eyes moving over a pair of drunken bikers leaning heavily on the bar and a gaggle of rather scantily dressed women on their arms, to the back corner. He met the cool blue stare of the stranger first, caught by the intensity of them for a moment and felt his cheeks heat as the man raised his beer with a jaunty little shake of acknowledgement. Which only served to bring Barry’s attention to his long fingered hands and oh, they were distracting alright. 

He watched the other bring the bottle to his lips and take a drag, dimly aware he was staring and that if he hadn’t had as much to drink as he had he’d be really embarrassed to be caught doing so. John elbowed him then, broke the connection and brought Barry’s attention back to his friends, “You should go over Barry, let loose for once.”

“Yeah man, you’re always baby-sitting us, have some fun!” Came Joyce to his other side, poking at his chest with a wobbly finger. They were all probably far too drunk to be making wise choices anymore, and Barry couldn’t help find himself wanting to agree with them. He snuck another glance across the room under his lashes and the pretence of reaching for his drink, the man hadn’t moved nor had he stopped giving Barry a frankly obscene once over. Very interested then. But nerves held him in place, a stubborn set to his mouth as he shook his head, “No, I’m not just going to abandon you guys for some random guy. We’re supposed to be celebrating.”

His words were met with a collective groan that startle a laugh from him. This time it was Felix who reached over, placing a hand rather abruptly on Barry’s shoulder to give it a little shake, “Barry if you don’t go over there and at least get a hot make out session, or even the guy’s number, you’re dead to me.” Barry opened his mouth to argue, but Felix cut him off with a worryingly devious smile, “Ah- no. No excuses bambi. In fact, I dare you to go over.”

“Double dare you!” John added, and Barry felt distinctly unimpressed by the people he called his friends. As if he’d fall for that. No, it was bad enough they’d even stepped into the bar at all, let alone tried to bother the other patrons - Barry was going to finish his beer and see if he could corral the others outside and back down towards their flat.

“Hey cutie.”

Barry glanced up from his drink in surprise as the bartender slid a freshly opened beer across the counter toward him, caught off guard by both it and the flirtatious tone she used, “Uh,”

The woman offered him a smirk, dark waves of her hair bouncing as she jerked her head a little over her shoulder towards the end of the bar, “Just a little treat from an interested party.” She clicked one of her nails against the glass before moving away to serve another man further down. Barry eyed the drink left behind with apprehension, but the deep seated drive of all students to take advantage of free stuff won over his common sense.

“I-um, I’ll be right back.” He offered to his friends, who’d watched the exchange with growing smirks and wished him good luck in an embarrassingly loud tone.

New drink in hand Barry sidestepped a couple dancing along to the jukebox and tried to quell the tremble in his frame, because man it’d been too long. Way too long since he’d last tried his luck with anyone. Becky Chambers was his last serious relationship, and the few people he’d hooked up with at the beginning of college weren’t anything to write home about. But he hadn’t tried to flirt with someone since high school and especially not someone like this.

Closer up Barry could see the faint dusting of grey to the man’s shaved hair, his body stockier than he’d realized but even seated he could tell he was tall. Not taller than himself, but there couldn’t be much in it. The way he twisted in the seat as Barry approached, slow and considering, legs falling open just a shade too much for politeness - it all screamed predator, of a confidence Barry sorely lacked.

“You’re even cuter up close.” And god that voice, drawling and nasal and Barry felt his throat go dry. He hovered awkwardly for a moment, unsure what to do with himself, before taking a seat on the stool beside him, head ducked as the back of his neck flushed from the attention.

“Thanks - for the drink I mean. And the compliment, I guess?” Great, real smooth.

The other’s mouth up-ticked at the corner, smirk smoothing into something resembling amusement as Barry rambled, and submitting to those cool blue eyes up close was almost too much really. He’d never seen eyes like them before. Barry played with the label around his bottle, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from saying something else idiotic.

“You know,” The other started, head cocked a little to the side to watch him when Barry glanced back over, “You and your friends don’t really seem the type to frequent this kind of establishment.” He made it sound more like a statement than a question, mouth working over the vowels with purpose.

“Yeah we uh, we’re actually celebrating and wanted somewhere other than the union bars.”

“And you really thought Saint’s was the place to be.” There was something behind the words, a tone that Barry couldn’t place but the man didn’t seem angry, more curious, like Barry had something particularly interesting. He spared a look over at the others, relieved to see that they were calming down and looking less out of place - most of them simply slumped into each other nursing their drinks. 

“Y’know kid, a lot of dangerous people call this place their base,” He paused to take a sip of his beer, and Barry got distracted by the arch of his neck, the way his throat worked to swallow, “But enough about _me_-”

The bartender, who Barry hadn’t even noticed swing back around to clear the counter next to them, snorted loudly.

Barry watched as the other man shot the woman’s back a look of irritation, struggling hard not to laugh himself at how corny that line had sounded and took the opportunity to speak into the pause, “My name’s Barry, not kid, in case you were curious.”

The bartender moved away again, and in her absence the man turned back to him with interest, “Barry.” The other rolled his name across his tongue, ire fading back into what must be his default expression of cool smugness, “Pleasure to meet you Barry, you can call me Len.”

Len. 

Short and simple, and it suited him. 

He shifted in his seat, very aware of the way it aligned the side of his leg against the heat of Len’s, knees knocking lightly. “You’re uh, you’re cute too, by the way.” And immediately felt his face heat up. Len looked mature, leather jacket pulled over surprising muscle and a sharp jaw, why would he want to hear someone call him cute what an idiot.

A soft sound left the other, and when Barry looked up from under his lashes Len was making an effort not to smile - he didn’t have a face Barry thought smiled often, but he knew the signs. “Why thank you Barry, now, why don’t you tell me what you’re celebrating - and let me buy you another drink.”

He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. But he’d sobered up a fair bit on the cold walk across town, and the two light beers he’d had since then (shots really didn’t agree with him) weren’t enough to build him to more than a comfortable buzz. He could risk it.

When he tipped his head in agreement Len flagged down a fresh beer, and Barry let himself sink into familiar territory - he could talk about his work, no problem. His hands twisted in the air as he spoke, fingers occasionally tapping against his glass or the counter, “Well we just finished the last exam for this semester, a practical field test examining blood spatter patterns and how it can give insights into the behaviour of the perpetrator during the murder - and so, we all passed. Which we deserved after all the hours we put into studying like, you would not believe how many different ways blood can fall, even how the surface it lands on can affect things.”

Len remained quiet, but grew slowly more tense as Barry continued and he realized maybe talking about murder wasn’t the best way to go about things, and shifted gears, “I don’t go out much and they all kinda bullied me into a night out as a reward - I work too hard, their words not mine.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised kid.” He drawled in response when Barry paused to take a breath, tone cooler than before but he’d made no move to leave which he took as a positive. One of Len’s hands had come up on the counter, palm pressed flat against the wood as he turned his body further toward Barry, “I take it you’re into law enforcement?”

The question sounded innocent, but Barry got the feeling if he answered incorrectly something bad would happen.

“Kind of? I want to be a CSI, 'm more interested in the science behind it all than actually convicting people.” He said it hesitantly, brows drawn down a little and fingers still against the condensation from his beer. Len gave him a far more calculating look at the admission, one eyebrow raised as the smirk returned across his lips. And man was that a really… really hot look.

"So you're a geek."

"What? Please, I'm a _nerd_, there's a difference." Barry put as much mock offence into his retort as he could, hand over his heart and was treated to a genuine laugh from Len.

Smug and a little emboldened by the reaction he got, and the heady buzz the beer was finally giving him, Barry felt confident enough to crowd a little more into the other's space. There were barely a few inches between them by the time he'd shifted on his stool, one elbow propped on the counter as he swayed toward Len, easy smile dimpling his cheeks. That close Barry could smell his cologne, or maybe that was just Len - cool and crisp, sandalwood? Something earthy either way and it was intoxicating.

Their knees knocked again, this time with one of Barry's legs slotted neatly in the open sprawl of Len's. In response he felt a palm settle over the meat of his right thigh, surprisingly hot through the denim of his jeans. Len gave the muscle a light squeeze before slowly sliding higher to rest just shy of the junction to his hip. Barry felt light headed for a moment, and was far too distracted at the leading touch to notice the nod Len threw the bartender over his shoulder.

Len ducked closer, mouth just a hair's breadth away from his cheek and Barry stilled, hyper aware of where his breath ghosted over his ear as he spoke, “Forgive me if this is a little bold _Barry_, but I could go for a little more privacy, don’t you agree?”

That smooth drawl so close to his ear, and the insinuation that perhaps Barry hadn’t managed to fuck it up with his murder talk, sent a thrill through him. He found himself nodding dumbly, and he could swear he felt Len smirk against his cheek before he pulled back, face schooled into a cool facade once more. The hand at his hip didn’t move at first, simply squeezed and nudged to encourage Barry to get up himself, before Len followed - near pressed against Barry’s back, hold shifting to curve a little possessively around the jut of his hip. 

John and Orla had identical looks of curious concern as they stepped past the group of flagging students, Felix near passed out between their shoulders. Barry gave them a sheepish smile, steps a little jittery as Len’s hand managed to slip under the edge of his shirt, thumb brushing against the sensitive skin around his hip bone. A last look back at the door showed him Joyce giving the pair of them a thumbs up.

Len carefully guided him down the side of the bar, a jangle of keys in his free hand that were apparently to a powerful looking motorbike propped up against the wall. And, oh. Did Len have to be his living breathing wet dream? Looked good in leather, practically a silver fox because Barry wasn’t disillusioned as to the other’s age, _and_ he rode a bike?

“Glad I measure up Barry.” 

And right, he… he’d said that out loud. Could the ground just swallow him up and put him out of his misery?

Len’s mouth was still twisted into an amused smirk as he gently pushed a helmet into Barry’s hands and set about getting the bike upright, straddling it and waiting expectantly. He clutched at the helmet briefly, eyeing the bike with trepidation. He’d never been on one before, never even knew someone who owned one - but he dutifully pulled the helmet over his head, dark visor pushed down to protect his eyes. 

“What’s your address kid?” Len threw over his shoulder as the engine roared to life beneath him, and the fact he offered to take this back to Barry’s and not assuming his own apartment made him feel a lot better about hooking up with some tall dark stranger from a bar.

As he rattled off the road for his apartment Barry settled carefully behind Len on the leather seat, tense at the realization that he was going to be pressed right up against the tight expanse of the other’s back, Len tucked neatly between his thighs. Fuck, he was going to have trouble concentrating with all that hard muscle shifting against his crotch. Len’s face was entirely hidden under his own helmet but Barry could tell the older man was laughing at him, leather shoulders creaking as he moved.

There was a second to orientate himself, before Len kicked off from the ground and tugged the bike out onto the road - a second of panic as his body twisted. His arms came up of their own accord to wrap tightly around Len’s chest to steady himself. Part of him wondered if he should be worried. 

Joe lectured him often enough growing up about trusting strangers, of not drinking and driving, of being safe. Hell, Len had had a couple drinks hadn’t he? His driving seemed fine, no swerving, his corners were actually incredibly well manoeuvred. But Barry wasn’t the best judge on driving, had never managed to pass his test in high school after all and still relied on public transport or Joe to give him lifts. 

He made sure to lean with Len when the other moved, angled their way at junctions and probably broke a few speed laws, but Barry and his growing hard on weren’t about to complain. The trip barely took ten minutes through downtown and across campus, but it felt like hours as he steadily grew more and more aroused at the thrumming engine beneath his thighs and the strong muscles of Len’s ass pressed along his front.

The bike slowly rumbled off, Len leaning it carefully to the side and flicking the guard out to keep it stable before tugging his helmet off with a glance over his shoulder at Barry, cock-sure smirk still in place. Barry felt his cheeks flush again, very aware of the way his jeans were straining and how close that particular problem was to Len. Who didn’t exactly seem displeased at the situation if the way he pressed subtly back was anything to go by.

“I-I’m on the fourth floor - they, my roommates should be out. I mean, we left half of them back at the bar so they couldn’t exactly _beat_ us here y’know so-” Surprisingly soft lips cut him off, calloused palm sliding to his jaw to keep him still and Barry let the buzz of his thoughts quieten. His eyelids fluttered closed and he leant into the hard line of Len’s body at his front, hands still wrapped around the older man’s stomach clutching at the soft material of his shirt, pressing against the defined muscles there.

Slowly Len drew back and Barry chased his lips with a soft desperate sound, managed to snatch an extra kiss. Len hummed at the back of his throat and watched him with those icy blue eyes of his, pupils a shade too dilated betraying how turned on the other was too. Yeah he’d probably regret it in the morning but that was a problem for future Barry. Present Barry was really going to enjoy getting to touch as much of Len’s body as he could.

It’s slow going up the stairs and through the multiple security doors to Barry’s flat, neither of them in much of a rush and both incapable of keeping their hands to themselves. Len’s hand would slip down to his ass and squeeze, or Barry would grab the edges of Len’s jacket and drag the other close to tangle their tongues. He caught himself making soft needy noises whenever they had to pull apart to reach the next floor or stop themselves from tripping up the steps, earning him a placating sweep of lips to his cheek or a hand over his side and a quiet “_Patience_, Barry.”

The effort it took to get his keys from his pocket and not just simply sink into the cage of Len’s arms when they reached the flat’s front door was ridiculously hard. He wanted to spend the rest of his life exploring the subtle taste of alcohol lingering in the other’s mouth as they kissed, suck on Len’s bottom lip and watch his eyes flutter over and over again. But somehow one of them managed to get the key in the lock (it was sort of a blur, Len or was it him, hands on the door handle and it jiggled once briefly before they were inside), and Barry found himself backed up into the door as it locked behind them. 

Len leant into his space, forearms braced either side of Barry’s head on the door and once again he watched as the other dragged his gaze from head to toe, slow and filthy with blown pupils that promised just how wrecked Barry was going to be by the end of the night. Or was it morning by now? He’d lost track of time somewhere along the way but that didn’t matter.

What mattered was the purposeful way Len brought their mouths together again, teeth taking hold of his bottom lip and dragging it out until it stung, smoothing over the sore skin with a hot tongue. Barry was pretty sure he’d never been this turned on in his life. He got lost in the sensations for a moment, body shifting without resistance as Len nudged his legs further apart, slotted himself between the soft v of his hips and ground their matching erections together in a slow roll of hips.

His breath hitched, throat working overtime around the dryness and he willingly let himself be man-handled. Len’s fingers made quick work of his belt and zipper, taunting as they brushed against the front of his briefs now visible, let himself be tugged as Len pushed his shirt up and dragged gentle nails over the softness of his stomach. Hissed when one nail bit into the sensitive skin around his nipple, heard that hiss turn to a wanton moan as he did it again and again. 

Barry was crowded up into the wooden door, Len a solid weight down his entire front and an effective restraint and he loved every second of it. Felt eager for more and the last dredges of his patience rapidly frayed.

“_God_ you’re beautiful.” Len murmured into the skin of his neck, hands slowly dragging down his sides and over his slight stomach where the fabric of his shirt had been hiked up around his chest and Barry felt a flush of pleasure at the praise. The few times he’d managed to have sex before, his partners had barely spoken beyond ‘_fuck_’ and ‘_yes_’. Len’s fingers felt great as they graze just shy of the edge of his pants, teasing along the waistband for a few moments before one hand sunk beneath the fabric to wrap around him and give an experimental first stroke.

The sound he gave was slightly embarrassing, or it would have been had Len not let out a matching groan in a rumble against his neck. Deft fingers worked down his cock, slick with precum and Barry arched into the touch, hands clutching at any part of Len he could reach; his neck, his shoulders, fingers scrabbling down Len’s clothed back with nails that would’ve left marks had they met skin. A dark part of Barry really liked that idea, like making a claim.

He wasn’t going to put on much of a show, not when it had been months since he last got laid, since someone other than his own hand got him off. Thankfully he’d never had much of a refractory period, at least not the first time or two he came and Barry was really banking on that being true tonight too. 

Len found a rhythm eventually after stopping to somewhat aggressively shirk Barry’s jeans and brief down his thighs, grip tightening until just the right shade of friction sent a steadily building spark to his extremities. “Please, Len, more I-I can’t…” His words were breathier than they had any right to be when the other man had barely touched him, but he ached, skin hot and sweat starting to bead along his stomach where the muscles twitched to keep his hips in check.

And then Len sent him this look, eyes hooded and dark with promise, and sank to his knees taking the waistband of Barry’s pants with him. Right there in the hallway. And oh, oh, oh this definitely going to be over fast. He had a second to brace himself against the door behind him, elbow colliding with the handle before Len’s tongue licked a slow strip from base to tip.

“Fuck.”

Len’s mouth was a wet heat as he took Barry in, expertly working his way down with the occasional brush of tongue to gather the precum beading at the tip of his cock. His hand kept a slow pace on whatever his mouth didn’t touch, but eventually even that stopped as Len slowly sucked and kissed his way down. Barry couldn’t help the whimper that escaped him when Len finally managed to take him all in, back of his throat working against the intrusion in a way that had Barry’s legs trembling in an effort to keep himself upright.

Len’s free hand came up to press hard against his hip and hold him against the door, fingers massaging into the straining muscles as Barry fought to stay still too - scared of letting go and hurting the other. His own hands found their way to the back of Len’s head, fingertips cradling his skull and playing with the feeling of Len’s short hair. Prickly and unusual but he liked it, liked how his palms tingled and tickled.

Heat pooled and his hips stuttered even where Len had him constrained, the aching need to push into the suction of Len’s mouth almost too much to bare. 

In the end all it took was a low hum. Timed perfectly with his cock hitting the back of Len’s throat once more, and he tried to warn the other, tried to push him back but he held on. Swallowed around him as Barry came with a soft keen.

The sight of Len on his knees, lips slightly red from both the fervent kisses they’d shared until now and the force of stretching around his cock twitching up into that infuriating smirk of his and fuck, the faint traces of saliva that he wiped away with the back of his hand. Barry’d never seen anything more arousing, and his dick gave a half-hearted twitch despite itself.

He was desperate as he tugged and pulled at Len’s shoulders, forceful until the other stood and let Barry bite and suck at his lips again, chased the slightly bitter taste of himself on Len’s tongue when he pressed in. Teeth clacked and their noses bumped but Barry was beyond caring about appearing incompetent, too wired and flushed from getting off and the thought that now he got to touch Len in return.

Could feel how hard the other was as he aligned their bodies, jean clad erection straining into Barry’s thigh where Len rocked his hips for some kind of relief. That’s around the time it occurs to Barry that they’re standing in his hallway, Len completely dressed if a little rumpled, and himself with his jeans and pants around his knees.

“Yeah okay we need to be naked like,_ right now_ \- and we definitely need to move this to my bedroom.” 

Len’s attention shifted to that sensitive part of skin, just behind his ears that never failed to make Barry twitch, as he spoke, mouthed his way across it in an attempt to chase goosebumps the touch elicited. It felt great, really, but Barry just wanted to get the older man out of his clothes.

He pushed himself off the door, urged Len back step by step towards his room near the kitchen and kicked off his shoes as he passed the open (and thankfully empty) doorway. His jeans were trickier to remove whilst moving, had to untangle himself from Len’s arms to wrangle both them and his briefs off - tossed carelessly behind the other into the dark entrance to his room. 

His jacket was lost somewhere between the threshold and his bed, a soft thunk of material in the corner and Barry couldn’t care less because Len still wasn’t naked. His noise of complaint must have been louder than he’d thought, because a soft huff of amusement followed it along with the sounds of a belt being unbuckled and heavy boots being shed. 

They became a tangle of limbs in the dark, hands grappling with clothing until, eventually, blessedly, Barry found himself sinking back onto the sheets of his bed with nothing but lean naked skin against his own. He let his hands explore and Len remained silent and still under the ministrations - hummed under his breath when Barry’s fingers skittered past rough ridges of what must be scars but relaxed in waves as Barry’s attention was caught more and more by the planes of muscle he felt. 

By the heavy weight of Len’s cock against the inside of his thigh, already weeping and hot and Barry really couldn’t resist wrapping his hand around the girth of it and starting a slow jerk and twist. Felt more than heard the stuttering of Len’s breath against his face as he did so. “God, you feel so good Len.”

Len hovered over him for a while, letting Barry get a good feel of him as he carefully worked up a greater pace, added a subtle flick of his thumb across the tip that had the older man cursing under his breath and licking his way back into Barry’s mouth to keep quiet. He made it a game for himself, testing and teasing how far he could push the other, what sounds he could work out of Len until the man bit his lip in retaliation. 

By the time Len was slick and heavy and painfully hot in his palm, Barry could feel his own cock stirring between their softly brushing hips. He could sense when Len noticed, a stillness overtaking the line of his body above Barry’s.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, kid.” He ground out against the soft shell of Barry’s ear, accompanied by a playful nip to the lobe before his own hand was wrapping around Barry’s on his cock - slowing the pace once more and carefully extracting Barry’s hand. 

Len reared back onto his knees, felt around in the dark for Barry’s other hand where it had come to rest at Len’s hip, fingers near painful in their grip there. He gathered his wrists into one hand and pulled them up over Barry’s head and held them there with purpose until Barry got the memo and stopped squirming against the grip. Arousal flashed deep and powerful through him, from fingertips to his toes at the dominating move.

Yeah this was definitely the best idea his friends had ever had, and Barry made a mental note to thank them graciously when he saw them next.

His was pulled from that line of thought as Len’s hand returned to between their thighs, palm slightly wet from the cum beading across the tips and lengths of both their erections and his own spit from what Barry can guess in the dim lighting of the room. Len barely made a sound as they moved into each other's bodies, just the occasional soft grunt or suck of breath.

He twisted a little with impatience as Len does nothing more than loosely tug at Barry’s cock until he’s hard, thrusting into the v between Barry’s hip and thigh with his own and as heavenly as it feels he wants that thick heat against his dick. Like, yesterday. 

Eventually Len’s own patience faded, or perhaps he got the memo from the soft needy noises he managed to drag out of Barry, and his grip shifts until suddenly the hard line of his dick is cinched neatly alongside Barry’s in his palms. 

It punched a sound from Barry’s chest, loud and low and all pretence of keeping his hands in place went out the window, nails finally getting to scratch and bite across Len’s back, eliciting hisses of pleasure from the older man above him in the process.

“Come for me Barry, c’mon I’ve got you, just let go.” And god, Len’s voice. Rough still from sucking Barry off and his own prevalent arousal, and it did wonders for Barry’s ego. He did that. He made this mature, devastatingly handsome man raspy and painfully turned on.

They didn’t last long after that, both of them thrusting into the hold Len had of their cocks and the friction of it felt amazing. Barry could feel his toes curling into the sheets beneath them, and as much as he wanted to watch the way Len worked them both over it was too much - head thrown back against the bed. It meant Len could access his neck once more, mouth hot and teeth scraping against the muscles with a purpose. 

Each sting of a bite felt like bliss, grounded him as the pleasure built and built. His hips stuttered when Len ran a thumb over the tip again, timed with a harder bite to the juncture between his neck and shoulder and that was it. Barry came over his stomach, a soft moan working out of his mouth before Len shifted attention back to his lips to swallow the noise between their tongues. A few more strokes, and Barry felt the other stiffen above him and a fresh splash of hot liquid across his skin.

Len didn’t stop kissing him, though they became less insistent and more languid as they both came down from the high. Eventually they end up on their sides, face to face, one of Barry’s hands cupping the other’s jaw to keep them connected as they moved, chasing each press of lips with a lazy eagerness. He could feel himself smiling into Len’s mouth, could feel a matching one on the other’s lips. An arm wound over his back, one deliciously long fingered hand sweeping along his spine in a way that made him shiver.

Finally they drew back from each other, Barry’s eyes fluttered back open to see a kind of content pleasure in Len’s expression as the other looked back.

They lay there, sated and sticky and all Barry could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears and the soft pants of Len against his cheek. He feels like they should move, or at least clean up a little but his limbs are loose and the thought of getting up makes him grimace internally. The arm around his back tightens, tugs until he manages to wriggle closer and slot himself neatly up against Len’s chest as it rumbles with his words.

“Glad you agreed to that dare now, kid?”

And of course he knew, of course he’d heard that, because life never did Barry any favours. Embarrassment flushed across his face, suddenly nervous again as he laughs and it sounds strained even to his ears, “That obvious, huh? We- uh, well y’know it was just supposed to be for a drink and then you were a lot hotter close up, and who in their right mind says no to free anything in college, but-” He cut himself off at the amused hum Len gave, lips pressed softly to his brow.

“Yeah. Super glad.” Is all he says eventually, eyes half-closed as sleep chases him. Barry isn’t quite sure it’s real, so close to the edge of unconsciousness, but he thinks feels Len leave a trail of feather-light kisses across the expanse of his shoulder. Gentler than the man had been nearly all night, a surprisingly sweet gesture as Barry finally slips off.

\------

Sunlight gave his room a fuzzy sort of energy when Barry woke, warm and lazy from a deeper sleep than he’d been managing in recent weeks. His brain takes a few moments to shake off the last dredges of his dreams and he stretches out in one long, slow shift of muscles from head to toe. His legs are half tangled in the sheets, cotton bunched down at his hips. Something niggles at him as he does, like he’s missing something important, and it hits him with a sharp sting.

The bed was empty beside him. The only clothes littering the floor were his own.

Len was gone.

Barry hadn’t expected the man to stick around, but it hurt all the same, made him feel used even if he’d been the instigator for the most part. He’d had this sort of vague hope that perhaps they could grab breakfast, or go for round two- was it technically three? He pulled the covers closer around himself, feeling cold despite the mid-morning sun streaming through his windows, nose wrinkled at the lingering scent of sex in the air. Right, laundry first, wallowing in self-pity later.

His phone flashed with missed calls and a few check-up texts that he answered as best he could - dodged a majority of the ones angling for details. Yeah he didn’t want to touch that or the growing sense of disappointment curled in his chest. Maybe it had been wrong to use Len as a way to forget about Iris, just for one night - a mistake, because once again Barry found himself growing attached to someone far too unattainable.

What a joke.

Barry doesn’t see the small piece of paper tucked into his jeans as puts the washer on, intricate scrawl of a number mulching as the soap and water destroy the evidence that perhaps Len hadn’t abandoned him. When he finds it later, rumpled and gross, he throws it away without thought - attention caught by the common room TV. 

_ ‘Priceless Diamond Stolen; Suspect Escapes Scene.’  _

There’s no picture to accompany the story, just blurry security footage that shorts out before the thief’s face is seen. His hands twitched in the fabric of his dryer warm clothes, and that right there, that was why Barry was at college. Not just to help his dad, but to catch the criminals that abused the law, blatantly, openly. Without regret.

Maybe one day, he’d actually be the one to catch this guy.

\--------

Several years and a super-power granting lightning strike later, stood across from the thief with an achingly familiar smirk, Barry can’t help but question what he did wrong in another life to deserve this.

**Author's Note:**

> this was genuinely just supposed to be a short ficlet where barry meets len at a bar at uni and they fool around and then i decided to write like, 2 sex scenes and an epilogue and nearly 6k later here we are. y'all can find me over on twitter at @actualraptcr or over on tumblr at actualvenom! feel free to leave prompts or whatever too tbh bc i really want to get back into fic writing and i lov to yell <3


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